Spring Walk

A Spring Walk from Luckett to Horsebridge

Sunny weather at last, and too good to be in. We skirted the side of  the Great Meadow green with new grass being enjoyed by the ewes. Young lambs frolicking in little groups, but split up when we drew too close, to rush back to their mums for a reassuring  little suckle.

       The warm sun in the shelter of the hedge was bringing out a few butterflies. A sulphur-yellow Brimstone patrolled, a Peacock basked sleepily on the stones of the hedge-face and a pair of Small Tortoiseshells repeatedly spiralled upwards in display flight, then came down to rest on the nettles.

Basking Peacock

       Looking over the gate into a field beyond, we surprised a big dog Fox which paused as it spotted us, and stood motionless, trailing its brush low, before turning and jumping effortlessly up into the hedge bank and disappeared.

       The stream running out of the marshy area beyond the Great Meadow was rushing under the little granite footbridge among a spread of fresh green spears of flag iris leaves before swirling and frothing down to the Tamar.

        The sound of a Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming echoed across the valley, while a pair of Nuthatches called with clear fluting notes as they chased each other in the stag-headed old oak by the muddy gateway. A couple of years ago there was a nest of Hornets in the stone-faced bank just beyond the little iron gate, but they haven’t reappeared since. A pair of Ravens  honked as they flew high across the valley.

        The track from the house and restored barns at Lower Hampt out to the road has a lovely display of spring flowers  --  Primroses and Lesser Celandines, Wood Anemones, Stitchwort and Barren Strawberry, Violets and Ground Ivy were all attracting hoverflies and other insects.

Greater Stitchwort

Lesser Celandine

Wood Anemone

Wild Violet

       A Bee Fly with dark-edged wings held stiffly outwards, furry ginger body and long proboscis sought nectar from a primrose. A lumbering Bloody-nosed Beetle was heading for a lush clump of Hedge Bedstraw, intent on finding a mate or to lay its eggs on this, its foodplant. Pick this beetle up and it will ooze reddish liquid from its mouth, a foul-tasting deterrent to any would-be predator. This trick gives it its name.

Dark-bordered Bee Fly

Bloody-nosed Beetle

       A Chiffchaff called, repeating its two notes over and over from the edge of the wood and a tiny Goldcrest fluttered briefly in the branches above. It flaunted its bright orange crest as it turned, before disappearing behind a dense clump of ivy.

 

      Leaning over the parapet of the old stone Horsebridge, we could see the river was still full; a Dipper flew low and direct, heading upstream  and a pair of Mallard, quacking in protest, flew up from the river’s edge. We were hoping to see a few Sand Martins who nest in the holes below the parapet, but there were none yet, nor an early Swallow.